Sting snags man second time

A man who has been chief executive officer of a Fort Dodge construction company was arrested for prostitution in Ankeny Wednesday, about two weeks after he pleaded guilty to the same crime following an October arrest.

William L. Woodruff, 49, of Ames, was arrested by Ankeny police as part of an undercover prostitution sting conducted at a hotel, according to police reports. He was charged with prostitution, which is an aggravated misdemeanor, investigators said.

Woodruff is listed as the chief executive officer of Woodruff Construction LLC in Fort Dodge on the company’s website. A company spokeswoman declined to comment on Woodruff’s present affiliation with the company.

He was booked into the Polk County Jail in Des Moines and was released Wednesday night after posting bond.

Three other men and two women were also arrested in the operation, police reported.

Woodruff was arrested on a prostitution charge by the Mid Iowa Narcotics Task Force on Oct. 17 in Johnston after he offered to pay for a sex act.

On Jan. 14, he pleaded guilty to that charge in Polk County District Court. He received a deferred judgment, which means the criminal conviction will not appear on his criminal record. He was also ordered to pay a $625 civil penalty, serve one year of probation and complete 35 hours of community service.